Is it true that attack helicopters are obsolete and almost never needed in modern warfareScience and technology10:30 | February 27, 2023

From the late 1960s, attack helicopters began to be used in military operations around the world. Now they still seem to be suitable equipment for military operations. However, there have been many incidents in recent years where they have demonstrated their vulnerability to enemy fire. But does this mean that attack helicopters are now obsolete?

Now attack helicopters are still being developed. Thus, the United States is creating a new type of helicopter, an attack and reconnaissance. While India is completing its own light attack helicopter, China is working on an entirely original heavy attack helicopter. Many armies in the world that can afford to buy attack helicopters use them in military operations.

Attack helicopters are often slow, noisy, and unable to fly high. Today, the army has the widest means of reliable detection and destruction of such equipment.

American attack helicopters were equipped with the new AGM-179 missile. This missile can reach a target at a distance of up to 8 km. Also, the AGM-169 was supposed to be a completely new high-tech missile that hits the target at a distance of up to 16 km, but in the end it was decided not to use it. Maybe because of the economy. It may also be because the greater the distance between the helicopter and the object, the higher the probability that there are various obstacles between them that will hinder the launch of the rocket.

In modern warfare conditions, the army actively uses drones, that is, unmanned aerial vehicles. And this is another reason why helicopters soon became obsolete. In addition, drones are much cheaper than helicopters (on average, about 10 times), so it is more profitable to buy them.

Drone has several advantages over combat helicopters. Thus, it can stay in the air several times longer than a helicopter and fly much farther from the front line. Operator training is faster and cheaper than pilot training, and the operator can work longer in a safe place. Also, the drone may be more difficult to detect with sensors and radar on the battlefield, more suitable for medium altitudes.

The total cost of an hour’s flight for a drone is also much lower than for a combat helicopter. For example, the MQ-1B Predator is $600 and the AH-64D Apache is $7,500. It turns out that the drone will require lower costs over its entire service life.

In general, the presenter concluded that the attack helicopter is not yet outdated today. However, the probability of its imminent obsolescence is quite high: at least it is higher than battle tanks. These are likely to be used in wars for several decades longer than helicopters.